FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA),a Federal law, requires that the River Vale School District with certain exceptions, obtain written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, it may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the River Vale School District to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;

The annual yearbook;

Honor roll or other recognition lists;

Graduation programs; and

Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include,but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. [Note: These laws are Section 9528 of the ESEA (20U.S.C. § 7908) and 10 U.S.C. § 503(c).]

For additional information, you may call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call 1-800-437-0833.